‘How fragile is the monarchy?’, Princess Diana’s private secretary issues stark warning

THE Firm would be "reduced to a shadow of itself" without Kate Middleton, the former private secretary to Diana, Princess of Wales has claimed.

Buckingham Palace revealed that King Charles, 75, was well enough to return to public-facing duties just 11 weeks after announcing his cancer diagnosis.

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However, for Kate Middleton, who shocked the nation after revealing that she was undergoing treatment for cancer back in March, her return to public duties has been less clear.

And according to Patrick Jephson, the former private secretary to Diana, Princess of Wales, King Charles has had little choice but to re-think his slimmed-down monarchy.

While it wasn't long ago the House of Windsor had the longest-reigning monarch in British history in charge, without Kate, he believes it now seems rather vulnerable.

“Without Catherine, it all seems rather flat. The future of the monarchy is William and Catherine,” he says, speaking to .

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“And, as we know from any superficial study of the British royal family, it’s the women who pull the show together, who get out there and make things happen.

"So how fragile is the monarchy? Well, it’s as fragile as Catherine is and at the moment, we don’t know.”

Without Catherine, it all seems rather flat. The future of the monarchy is William and Catherine

Patrick Jephsonformer private secretary to Diana, Princess of Wales

The princess made a triumphant return when she attended her first royal event since December at Trooping the Colour on 15th June.

She delighted fans by appearing on the Buckingham Palace balcony alongside the King, Queen, Prince William and her three children.

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However, royal sources have insisted that despite her appearance, she is not yet returning to a full schedule of public engagements as her preventative cancer treatment continues.

But, she is expected to attend more events this summer when she feels able to and with the support and guidance of her doctors.

According to Jephson, the "intense public emotion" the mum-of-three received from the public following her appearance at Trooping the Colour only highlighted her importance to the monarchy.

He goes on to say that without the Princess of Wales, the institution would be "reduced to a shadow of itself."

Jephson added: "Given the Windsors’ drastically thinned ranks, she is the crown’s best hope by far.

"She combines duty and beauty with a piercing vulnerability second only to Prince William’s mother.”

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